Economic report on regional tobacco tax regimes for the purposes of the World Health Organization and the World Bank| 18-11-2012

Project Dates: September  November 2012

The project was implemente for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

CEFIR developed an economic report on regional tobacco tax regimes for use of WHO and the World Bank which will include:

1. Data collection and analysis of comparable statistical information on taxation and consumption of tobacco over time in:

The Customs Union (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan) and Ukraine (timeline August to Oct 31).

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with the CU make up the Eurasian Economic Community, EEC)(Nov to Dec).

2. Develop briefs describing policy and trends in the cigarette market of the above indicators for at least 2007-2011.

3. Analysis of the possible effects of changes in excise policy in the participating countries of the Customs Union,

using existing price elasticity’s with sensitivity analysis, development of possible scenarios of excise policy in each of the countries of the Customs Union modeling of economic and social impacts of these scenarios.

modeling the customs union as a whole, developing scenarios harmonizing excise rates in the sense of common minimum rates without necessarily having identical tax systems.

4. Development of recommendations on individual country tax policies and potentials for the harmonization of excise policy in the Customs Union, followed by the EEC.